Mechanism for operating searchlights



L. GREENBERG.'

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING SERCHLIGHTS. APPLICATION FILED IAN.29. 1919. RENEWED DEC. 9. I92I.

1,428,689. PandSept. 12, 1922.`

3 sIIEEIs-sm-LEI I.

L. GREENBERG.

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING SEARCHLlGHTS. APPLICATION F1150 11111.29, 1919. RENEWED DEC. 9, 1921.

L. GREENBERG. MECHANISM FOR'OPERATING SEA'RCHLIGHTS. APPLI'CATION FILED JAN.29,1919 RENEWED DEC. 9,1921- l y428689, PatentedSept. 12, 1922.

Lo mi@ Qreeeg Patented Sept. 142, 1922.

muren STATES LOUIS GREENBEG, OECHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING SEARCHLIGHTS. v

.Application led January 29, 1919, Serial No. 273,730. Renewed December 9, 1921. Serial No. 521,252.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, LoUIs GREENBERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the vcounty ofCook and State of Illinois, have .invented new and useful Improvements inf* Mechanisms for Operating Searchlights, of which the following is a specification. y

Among the objects of my invention is to provide va mechanism whereby a member, such as a search light orother device, m-ay be turned bodily about a vertical axis while at the same time be tilted up and down in a vertical' plane on a horizontal axis, such movements being effected by positive mechanical means, .and thereby enable the same to be controlled and predetermined. Another object of my invention is to include in such .mechanism an annular track member, inclined with respect to the vertical axis of rotation of said search light and having all portions thereof in such inclined plane, soy as to have but one high point and a low point in its circumference.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following specification.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure l is a front elevational view of a search lightequipped with a mechanism embodying the features of my invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3is a top plan view of the inclined track member, to be hereinafter described;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional viewtaken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2;'and

Figure 5 is a verticalsectional view ofV another form ofV driving constructiom to be hereinafter described.

In the drawings, I have shown a vmechanism embodying the features of my invention and as being used in connection with a search light, but it is of course to be understood that my said mechanism may be used in connection with other devices. As shown, my novel mechanism comprises a base mem- -ber 10, preferably made in the form of a hollow housing or casing, cylindrical lin lshape and havin a bottom wall 11, upright side or margina walls 12, and a cover or top wall 13 to protect the parts located within said housing from injury and the elements when the search light is used out-of.- doors. Located within said casing 10 is a stationary frame member 14 having upright standards 15, 15 laterally spaced apart and provided at .their lower ends with base anges 16,- 16 resting on said bottom' wall 11 and being secured thereto by clamp bolts 17, as shown in Fig. 2. Said standards 15 Aare'connected together at their upper ends by transverse web member 18. Extending vertically through said member 18 are two hollow upright shafts or spindles 19, 2O journaled for rotation one within the other and extending above and below said member 18,

-asshown in Fig. 2. The outer shaft 19 is in Fig. 2. By the construction described,

said outer shaft 19 has a rotative support on the top member 18 of the supporting frame 14. Integral with and extending upward from said head portion 21 is an annular fiange 27 provided with outwardly extending, radial arms or webs 28, 28, all having the same length and carrying at their outer ends an annular ring or member 29 having a fiat upper surface forming a track 30. The parts .are so arranged that said track member 29 is .in an inclined plane arranged transverse to 'the vertical axis of rotation of said shafts. 19 and 20. The track surportions thereof in said inclined plane, so

thatsaid track surface has but one high point a' and but one low point b, as shown in Figs. 1,2, and 3.

Theinner shaft 20 is arranged concentric to said outer shaft 19',l and has its upper end projecting upward above said outer face 30 faces upwardand is flat and has allI shaft. Upon the upper end of said inner Y shaft 2 0 is threaded a member 31 located within saidannular iange 27, as shown in Fig. 2'. q Said member 31 has its upper'end bifurcated to providev two upright parts or arms 32 adapted to receive therebetween the lower ory dependin end of a member 33. Said member 33`has its lower end secured between said parts 32 by a horizontall arranged pivot pin 34. The lower end o said member 31 is provided with a downwardly ,provided on its side walls with outwardly projecting, horizontally arranged trunnions or pins 38 journaled in the upright side members of a yoke 39. By reason of said trunnions 38, the search light 37 may be turned or adjusted bodily in said yoke 39,

and to hold the same in any position of j its adjustment I provide a set screw 40 secured to said casing 37afand projecting outward throughan arc-shaped slot 41 in said n yoke, as shown in Fig. 2. Said yoke 39 is secured upon the upper end of said member 33 by a threaded bolt 42, which is made hollow so as to permit the conductors or wires 43, 43 to passtherethrough to the terminals of the source of light within the casing of the search light. Said track -member 29 is housed within a protective casingv 44 secured to said member 33 by fastening screws or the like 45. Depending vfrom the top wall of said housing 44 are brackets 46,

46, being diametrically disposed withl re- Spect to each other and having 1 at their lower ends vertical rollers 47, 47 bearing downward on said track surface 30. Said brackets 46 are secured to the under side of the top wall of said housing 44 by fastenin bolts 48, 48.

xtending across the space between the standards 15, 15 is a transversedweb or member 49 spaced vertically upward from the bottom wall 11.'l The inner and outer shafts 19, 20, respectively, extend throu h and" vertically below said cross-bar 49. ecured to said outer shaft 19 below said cross-bar 49 is an annular ring or plate 50 forming the upper member of a race-way for antifriction bearing balls 51. The lower member of said race-way is formed by an annular ring or plate 52. Secured to the lower end of said outer shaft 19 below said bearing, is a horizontally arranged gear wheel 53. Said gear wheel is fixed to 'said shaft by a set screw or other fastening member 54, so that when said gear wheel is rotated the outer shaft 19 will be rotated therewith. Said gear 'wheel 53 meshes with -a horizontally arranged gear wheel 55 secured to the lower end of a vertically arranged shaft 56 offset laterally to one side of said inner and outer shafts and extending upward through said cross-bar 49. The upper end of said shaft is journaled in said top member 18, and saidfshaft 56 is held against vertical displacement downward by a stop collar 57 fixed tlieretoiand resting on said cross-member 49. Located within said hous-A ing 10 is an electric motor 58 having an armature shaft 59 arranged atright angles4 to said vertical shaft 56 and provided with a'worm 60 meshing with a worm gear 61l :lixed on said shaft 56.` v Said worm gears are enclosed within a suitable .gear casing 62.

The lower end of said inner shaft 20 extends below the like end of said outer shaft 19, and has secured thereto a horizontally arranged arm 63 projecting radially out- 'l 55 is thus rotated and drives the gear wheel 53, thereby rotating the outer shaft 19 about its vertical axis. `As the outer shaft K19 is rotated, the inclined track member 29 is carf ried around therewith, with the result that the search light 37 is caused to be rocked or tilted up and down in a vertical planeabout the pivot pin 34. At the sanne time the crank-arm 64 isarevolved, thereby actuating the arm 63 and causing the inner shaft 20 to be oscillated back and forthas thej outer shaft 19 is revolved. As the Search `light 37 is directly connected with said-inner shaft 20, it follows that said search light j is oscillated back and forth in a -horizontal plane, while it is at the same time beingv tilted up and down in a vertical plane by the rotating inclined track member 29.h Manifestly, a beam of light is caused to be projected in all directions within the com pass of the movements of' the parts. To supply electric current to the Wllis 43, l provide the following construction.

The extreme lowerend of the inner shaft',

20 extends below the arm 63, and has surrounding it a sleeve 66 of insulating material, provided on the outside thereof with annular contactv rings 67, 67. Both of the wiresA 43 project out ofr the lower end lof said inner shaft, and one wire bears against one ring67 and the other wire against the other, as shown in Fig. 2. Spring-pressed iis brushes 68, 68 bear `against said contact rings, and said brushesare mounted in a suitable supporting standard v69'secured to.v

said bottom wall 11. Lead lwires (not shown) are connected with said brushes for supplying current thereto.

1n Fig. 5, 1 have shown another form of driving mechanism for the inner and outer shafts 19h20, and where the parts shown in rA Fig. 5 remain the same as in the preceding reference characters. Instead of driving the inner shaft 20 by a crank motion and thus oscillating -it back and forth, I secure to said inner shaft 20 a geai` wheel 70 horizontally arranged Vand meshing with a gear pinion ,71 slidably moiintedeon the vertical shaft 56 below the gear wheel 55. Said gear pinion is provided with an extended hub 72 having an annular groove 73 to receive the ends of a shifting yoke 74 at the inner end of a pivoted operating lever 75. Said lever 75 is pivoted between its ends to one of the standards 15 by a pin 76, and has its outer end projecting outside of the outer casing 10 through a vertically elongated slot 77 provided in the upright marginal wall of said casing, as shown. pinion 71 is provided with at least two upwardly. projecting pins 78, 78 adapted to be received 1n vertical holes or recesses in said gear wheel 55. When such parts are engaged, the gear pinion 71 and the gear wheel 55 are connected together and the former thereby rotated by the shaft 56, with the Lresult that the gear wheel 7() is turned so as to rotate the inner shaft 20. Said gear pinion 71 is provided .with at least two depending pins 79 adapted to enter holes 80 in` a. fixed bracket 81 secured to one of said standards 15. When the gear pinion 71 is shifted down by operating the lever 75, the upper pins 78 are withdrawn from the gear wheel 85 and thereby disconnect the shaft 56 from the inner shaft 20. The teeth of said gear pinion 71 are still in mesh, however, with the teeth of the gear wheel 70, and to hold the inner shaft 20 against rotation the pins 79 enter the holes 80 in the fixed or stationary bracket 81. With the construction shown in F ig.` 5, the operation is as follows When the gear pinion 71 is connected to the gear wheel 55 and the vertical shaft 56 rotated, the inner and outer shafts 19 and 20 will be revolved, this causing the search light to be turned bodily around in a horizontal plane while at the same time being tilted up and down in a vertical plane as the in clinedtrack member 29 is rotated. The gear wheel between the inner and outer shafts and Said vertical shaft 56 are preferably made of different diameters, so that said inner and outer shafts may be rotated at different rates of speed and thus gain the movements referred to.. When the gear pinion 71 is disconnected from the gear wheel 55, the inner shaft 2() is held against rotation, while the outer shaft 19 and its attached inclined track member 29 is revolved. Manifestly, under such conditions, when the shaft 56 is rotated, the Search light 37 is tilted up and down in a vertical plane, but is held against bodily rotation 1n a horizontal -plane or about a vertical Said gear axis.

of these two sets of movements may -be had when desired by manipulating the shifting lever 75 from the outside of the main housing or casing 10.

Ihile I have shown and described herein in detail a mechanism constructed in accord ance with my invention, it is of course to be understood that the details of construction and arrangement of parts shown may be variously changed and modified without departlng from the spirit and scope of my invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated except as pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim as m invention:

1. The comblnation with a base, of two upright` shafts therein, one of said shafts being provided with an annular track having all portions thereof in an inclined plane arranged substantially transverse to the axis of rotation of said shafts, a member tiltably connected with the'other of said shafts and being tilted by said track upon the rotation thereof, and means for rotating said shafts.

2.'The combination with a base, of two upright shafts rotatably mounted therein,`a member tiltably connected with one of said shafts, the other shaft being provided with an annular track having all portions thereof in an inclined plane arranged substantially transverse to .the longitudinal axis of said shafts, said tiltably mounted member having means bearing against said track, and means for rotating said shafts at different rates of speed.

3. The combination with a base, of two upright shafts rotatably mounted therein, a member tiltably connected with one of said shafts, the other shaft being provided with an annulartrack having all portions By the construction described and i shown in. Fig. 5, 1t is apparent that eitherl thereof in an inclined plane arranged subof said shafts, said tiltably mounted member having means bearing against said'track, each of said shafts having a gear wheel, and means for rotating said gear wheels.

4. The icombination with a base, of two upright shafts rotatably mounted therein, a member tiltably connected with one of said shafts, the other shaft being provided with an annular track having all portions thereof in an inclined plane arranged substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of sai-d shafts, said tiltably mounted member having means bearing against said track, each of said shafts having a gear wheel. a countershaft, two gear wheels on said counter-shaft and meshing with said first mentioned gear wheels and means for rotatin said4 counter-shaft.

5.g`he combination with a base, of two upright shafts rotatably mounted therein, a

-having means bearing against said track,

each of said shafts having a gear wheel, a counter-shaft, a gear wheel fixed to said counter-shaft and meshing with the gear wheel on one of said upright shafts, a gear wheel slidably mounted on said countershaft and meshing with the gear wheel on the other of said upright shafts, said gear wheels on said counter-shaft having co-operating parts for connecting the same together,

and means for shifting said sliding gear wheel into and out of clutched engagement with said last named gearwheel. j', 6. The combination with a base, of two upright shafts rotatably mounted therein, a search light tiltably connected with one of said shafts, the other shaft being provided with an annular track having all portions thereof in an inclined plane arranged sub'` stantially transverse to therlongitudinal axis of said shafts, saidsearch light having rollers bearing against said track, and means for turning said shafts.

7. The combination of a tiltably mounted member and an annular track rotatably mounted with respect to each other, said ytrack having all portions thereof in an incliiied plane arranged substantially transverse to the axis of rotation of the same, said tiltably mounted member being rocked or tilted in asplane transverse to the plane of said track in the rotation of said track and tiltably mounted member relative to each other, and means for turning both of the latter.

8. The combination with a base, of two i upright shafts, one within the other, the

outer shaft being provided with an annular track having all portions thereof in an inclined plane arranged substantially transverseto the axis of rotation of said outer shaft, a member tiltably connected with said inner shaft and being tilted by said track upon the rotation of saidouter shaft, and means for rotating said outer shaft.

9. The combination with a base, of two upright shafts, one within the other, the

outer shaft being provided with an annulartrack having all portions thereof in an inclined plane arranged substantially transverse to the axis of rotation of said outer shaft, a member tiltably connected with said inner shaft and being tilted by said track upon the rotation of said outer shaft, and means for rotating said outer shaft while the inner shaft is held against rotation.

l0. The combination with a base, of two upright shafts rotatably mounted therein, one of said shafts being provided with an annular track having all .portions thereof in an inclined plane arranged substantially transverse to the axis of rotation of said shafts, a member tiltably connected with the other of said shafts and being tilted by said track upon the rotation thereof, means for rotating each of said shafts, and means for holding one of said shafts against rotation.

ll- The combination with a base, of two upright shafts rotatably mounted therein, one of said shafts being provided with an annular track having all portions thereof in an inclined plane arranged substantially transverse to the axis of rotation of said shafts, a member tiltably connected with the other of said shafts and being tilted by said track upon the rotation thereof, a motor for rotating both of said shafts, and a clutch interposed between said motor and one of said shafts for connecting the same to and disconnecting the same from said motor.

12. The combination with a base, of two upright shafts rotatably mounted therein, one of said shafts being provided with an annular track having all portions thereof in an inclined plane arranged substantially transverse to the axis of rotation of said shafts, a member tiltably connected with the other of said shafts and being tilted by said track upon the rotation thereof, and a motor located below said track for rotating one of said shafts. y

13. The combination with a base, of two upright shafts, one within the other, the outer upright shaft being provided with a flat annular track having all portions thereof in an inclined plane arranged substantially transverse to the axis of rotation of said outer shaft, a member located above said track and being tiltably connected with the inner shaft and being tilted by said track upon the rotation thereof, and a motor below said track for rotating one of said upright shafts.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I afi-'1X my signature in the presence of two Witnesses, th1s 27th day of Jan., A. D. 1919.

. LOUIS GREENBERG. Witnesses:

EUGENE C. WANN, CLARA L. PEoPLEs. 

